The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-12-21

On the ranks or -and bars that divide
the Atlantic ocean frOrl Pamiieo sound.
North Carolina. just inside the lighthouse
that marks on, TO the mariner dreaded
Clpe Lookout, there i % Be found 4
haFdy race Of qoniS know - bankers
Thes. ponies have lived there As Iong as
the Tradition Of the oldest inlabi;ans
dates back Entirely surrounded By
deep water AZ all seasons, having no
communication with the mainland. and
being barren # vegetation save a scanty
growth Of sedxe grass and low shrab=
the banks have remained uninhaoited
except bv these ponies. which seem %
thrive aud multiply in spite OF the hard
SHIPS 10 which they are exposed How
they FIRST came there. or Of shat origin
is conjecture, and tradition merely hints
the story Of violent stnrn. with It's
attendant shipKrerk aud los at 4il on
loani, slve lot Of ponies from some
Earppean port. wlieh were east uron
the ssssis. and surviving the storm be-
ea1e the prosenitors Of the race Of bank
en- now - nnmergus
Having to rely on instinct alone, these
anissals are Sh-ject Of ssu.iy to the
naturalist, a. they are Pr y not aaly to
the driving sluds but 10 the storms of
taa c5ls-. that break upou and over the
narrow saal bar and rliangs with each
recurring hurricane the topography II
the country The poaiss. choosing the
protected sisle Of the ssud hillocss. bGr-
row dsep iato the yiebling sini stamp
out protected stall, where ,hey take re-
flge lrom the storm; and while many
are destroyed. their number has inrrpas-
ed. New the stock IS owned and yearly
herdel by enter9rising owneys. who
brand with registered mark si,.h o..I ones
as are driven into the pens. and the colts
Of Az, which insiinetIvely follow their
dams into the inclcsrsre-
This con,llins Is the event Of the sea
slu. and takes place early in June. late
in July and early in September Of each
yesr. The days selected are gala DAYS,
aud the inhabitants of the coaSt, and
even visitors frou the interior Of the
state gather 20 witness the sight The
hsrirrs. separating in squads. take their
position Cir up the banks, and grriuslly
f,rming by concert continuous living
fenre-,iriwing in its line ami fJrring
each stray pony before them-they ap-
preach tie pees with shouts and wells
,lr,t only b4nSers her,lers can pro,luce.
Fhe eSeitement Is intese a. an occ.lsioual
lony escapes through the surrounding.
ladtheu the line must be ut once strength
saed by reserves. for fear Of a general
Stampede. As the frightened ponies
..r.iw ne..r the stockade they become con-
fise,l and seem tread each other down,
until finally they are s.,fe within the in
closure. Nov the expert leaders with
i-sssoes, accompanied by helpers shouting
and wildly CRYING. select the animals de-
sgnated by their owners, soon bringing
them into suiijecfiOn, and while the more
refractory youngsters have to be thrown in
orier % be branded. tine majority are
held and branded with the initial Of
their respective dams. This work done.
the older ponies are picked out by specu-
lators and individual purchasers. and
caught and penned separately until they
are sold. aud. on flats or sail bolts.
brought 20 mainland to be scattered over
the state for use on the farms and as sid
tie ponies for the young folk.-4mcricaR
lyT.phia7d